NoneIS 🇮🇸 Closed Airport
IS-0006
-
- ft
IS-8
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 63.928657° N, -21.168423° E
Continent: EU
Type: Closed Airport
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| Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
05/23 |
4249 ft | - ft | Concrete | Closed |
10/29 |
3248 ft | - ft | Concrete | Closed |
17/35 |
3014 ft | - ft | Concrete | Closed |
| Type | Description | Frequency |
|---|
The Royal Air Force (RAF) officially ceased military operations and handed the airfield over to the Icelandic Civil Aviation Authority in May 1947. While it may have seen limited use afterward, its function as a major military airbase ended at this time.
The airport's closure as a military base was a direct result of the end of World War II. Its strategic purpose was to support the Battle of the Atlantic. With the conclusion of the war, the large-scale military presence in Iceland was no longer necessary, leading to a drawdown of forces and the decommissioning of facilities like RAF Kaldadarnes.
The site is no longer an active airport. The original triangular runway layout is still visible in satellite imagery, but the surfaces are degraded. One of the main runways has been repurposed as a drag racing strip named 'Kvartmílubrautin', home to the Icelandic Quarter Mile Club (Kvartmíluklúbburinn). The surrounding area is used for light industry and agriculture. A memorial monument stands at the site to commemorate the airmen who served and died there during the war.
RAF Kaldadarnes was a strategically vital airbase during World War II. Constructed by the British Army Royal Engineers in 1940 following the Allied invasion of neutral Iceland, its primary role was to help secure the North Atlantic shipping lanes. It was instrumental in closing the 'Mid-Atlantic gap'—an area beyond the range of land-based patrol aircraft where Allied convoys were highly vulnerable to German U-boat attacks. The station primarily hosted maritime patrol squadrons, most notably No. 269 Squadron RAF, which flew aircraft such as the Lockheed Hudson on anti-submarine warfare, convoy escort, and reconnaissance missions. The airfield is also known for a tragic accident on May 10, 1941, when a Fairey Battle aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all on board, including the first Air Officer Commanding RAF in Iceland, Air Vice-Marshal A. G. Donald.
There are no known plans or prospects to reopen RAF Kaldadarnes as an airport. The infrastructure is outdated, the site has been partially redeveloped for motorsport and industrial use, and Iceland's current aviation needs are met by other facilities, including the nearby Selfoss Airport (BISF) for general aviation.